The present invention relates to the field of dispensable paper products. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved paper product uniquely suitable for use with a center pull or center feed dispenser.
Paper products are typically dispensed from a roll which rotates as a free paper end is pulled. Each roll comprises a plurality of individual sheets created by perforations at selected intervals. For toilet paper and for paper towels, the number of perforations typically exceeds eight perforations per inch. The density of perforations is important because such density affects the separation performance of the individual paper sheets. Separation strength is also controlled by the paper composition, thickness, and number of paper plys or layers. "Commercial" grade paper is stronger than paper known as "facial" grade and is used for publicly accessible paper requirements.
The type of paper dispenser is preferably matched to the dispensed paper. Although facial grade paper is preferred by many consumers because such paper is soft and comfortable to the touch, facial grade paper cannot be dispensed by many styles of dispensers. Facial grade paper is not sufficiently strong to cooperate with conventional paper dispensers for many reasons. For large rolls which initially contact the dispenser surfaces, drag induced by such contact prevents rolling movement of the paper roll. Additionally, the roll mass provides an inertial force which must be overcome by the facial paper strength as the free end is pulled, and facial paper often separates on such contact. Because facial paper is inherently weak, the slightest amount of moisture, as is commonly found in bath and kitchen facilities, reduces the facial paper strength so that the paper end cannot be dispensed from a paper roll. For all of these reasons, facial paper is not suitable for certain paper requirements.
To overcome the difficulties associated with facial grade paper, commercial grade paper is typically installed in most paper dispensers. Commercial grade paper is particularly used in public facilities, in uses having large dispensers, and in other high traffic areas. Commercial grade paper is stronger than facial grade paper and resists premature separation of the free end.
Centerpull dispensers have been developed to dispense various paper products. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,362 (1996) discloses a Centerpull.TM. toilet paper dispenser having a case which restricts collapse of a coreless paper roll. By distributing the paper from the center of the dispenser, movement of the roll is not required.
Paper dispensers have been specifically designed specifically to facilitate separation of individual paper sheets. U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,338 to Lewis (1994) disclosed a center fed dispenser having a device for varying the diameter of a dispensing orifice to accommodate rolled paper products having different weights, widths, bulks and tensile strengths. U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,455 to Moody (1993) disclosed a dispenser having a top and a support having a dispensing aperture. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,346,064 to Rizzuto (1994) and 5,310,083 to Rizzuto (1994) disclosed a dispenser having a dispenser nozzle, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,137 to Schutz et al. (1993) disclosed inserts positioned within a dispenser nozzle to adjust the size and configuration of the dispenser nozzle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,924 to Granger (1991) disclosed a cutting device for separating paper into segments, U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,895 to Lunden (1985) disclosed a tearing device having projections for tearing paper, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,627,216 to Ekuan (1971) disclosed an inverted funnel having an opening for dispensing paper from a coreless paper roll.
The problem of dispensing paper products is particularly acute when the paper comprises a moist tissue. U.S. Pat. No. 4,219,129 to Sedgwick (1980) disclosed a moist tissue dispenser having a web of absorbant sheet material divided by transverse perforation lines. A frusto-conical central orifice functioned as a converging passage which imposed a drag on the roped end tissue. Other premoistened towel dispensers were disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,695 to Ames (1976), wherein a circular portion of an outlet created a tension for separating the leading tissue perforation, and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,843,017 to Harrison (1974), wherein an interior flap over an opening facilitated separation of individual paper sheets.
Although various dispensers have been designed to facilitate the task of dispensing paper, and the strength of paper has been modified to accommodate different paper requirements, a need exists for an approach which permits softer, facial grade paper to be dispensed from different forms of paper dispensers.